


A glimpse from those in Heaven

by Cirilla9



Category: Vikings (TV)
Genre: Afterlife, Canon-Typical Violence, Canonical Character Death, Crack, Fluff, Improper Use of Catholic Rituals, M/M, Parody, This Is STUPID, or christian beliefs in general
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-29
Updated: 2017-12-29
Packaged: 2019-02-23 14:07:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13191669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cirilla9/pseuds/Cirilla9
Summary: Athelstan and Ragnar have some talk. Only - they're dead.





	A glimpse from those in Heaven

Ivar laughed madly, bent upon the poor Christian priest’s body in York city, pouring molten metal into his mouth. His victim screamed till all the sound died in gurgled incoherence, his people held the trashing body until it was able to move. Ivar’s eyes gleamed in sick delight.

Far above the church’s roof, above the tracks of birds in the air, above the misty clouds veiling the sky, in a place which Christians called Heaven Athelstan shuddered with horror. He looked away from the terrible sight and his eyes met Ragnar’s face. With shock Athelstan realized his friend was smiling and looking generally satisfied and proud from his son.

Ragnar felt the intense gaze on him and turned to Athelstan.

\- What? – he asked, somewhat defensively.

Athelstan opened his mouth a few times before he was able to utter actual words.

\- This… this monstrosity… why are you looking like that?! How can you?

\- Like what?

\- Like it was not the worst thing a father can witness his son doing. Like it was nothing wrong to torture people in most cruel ways before killing them.

\- I thought the killing in itself was wrong, - Ragnar’s tone was slightly taunting.

\- It is but God can sometimes forgive when- But that’s not the case! The point is Ivar is a fiend.

\- It’s not his fault he was born crippled.

\- You know very well I’m not speaking about his physical disability! I’m talking about his deformed mind. You should have never left him as a child. You should be there for him as he needed a father and got only Floki as a male authority.

\- You’re prejudiced because Floki killed you.

\- Look at what he had done to your son! He had raised a fanatic worse than himself almost.

Ragnar rolled his eyes.

\- You’re not in the best position to critique too deep faith, you martyr.

\- My faith didn’t include torturing people, - gritted Athelstan.

\- Only letting yourself be killed without even trying to fight back! And leaving those who loved you behind. I missed you. I was not the same person without you. If you were there, I would never leave Kattegat. You’d be the one helping me raise my children and they’d be different perhaps than now. But there is no point of returning to the past that we cannot change, it only brings more suffering. We can only enjoy what we have now.

Ragnar returned to watching his sons, splashed with blood, tired yet triumphant after a won battle. Hvitserk, grinning, slid down to sit next to Ivar and Ubbe, handing them a flask. All around them Christians bodies laid, being gathered slowly on pyres by their men.

\- What is there to enjoy? – asked Athelstan dully.

\- They won, - answered Ragnar, smiling with his honest, almost childlike grin. – All because of Ivar’s strategy. My son is a genius.

Athelstan’s judging gaze softened as he watched Ragnar happy like that. He reached with his hand and put it on Ragnar’s arm and his friend’s eyes slid to his palm, before covering it with his bigger one, stroking the skin there as at the moments like that in Kattegat in their previous idyllic life.

Then a sparkle of wickedness appeared in Ragnar’s blue eyes, eyes that held the same intensity that Ivar inherited.

\- You are not that innocent yourself, priest, - he said. – Your bastard kid may be gentler than my offspring but you’re cheating.

\- What do you-

Ragnar put a finger to his lips, silencing him.

\- You think I wouldn’t know? You told Alfred they’re going to attack York.

Athelstan’s cheeks blushed. He leaned away from Ragnar’s hand.

\- I was trying to repair what you’ve battered, - he said indignantly. – It is your fault they’re ruining England after all.

Ragnar from amused went soberer once more.

\- Oh no, it is Ecbert’s. I only made sure they’d repay the right person.

\- For your death?

\- For slaughtering a village of innocent people.

\- And now your sons are crushing more villages and cities with innocent inhabitants, - sighed Athelstan sadly. – Will this ever end?

Ragnar went silent for a moment, looking at his priest once more. He put an arm around Athelstan’s shoulders and pulled him to himself, uncaring of the slight resistance at the beginning. Soon the former monk melted into his touch, as he always did.

\- I don’t know. Maybe your son will win at the end, defeating all the invaders and uniting England.

**Author's Note:**

> I cannot explain why Ragnar is there. He went to Heaven after all or Odin gave him a free pass from Valhalla to visit his friend, it's up for you to decide.


End file.
